SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2017 Vs. CLEVELAND INDIANS RH Austin Pruitt (6-3, 5.14) Vs
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SUNDAY, AUGUST 13, 2017 vs. CLEVELAND INDIANS RH Austin Pruitt (6-3, 5.14) vs. RH Corey Kluber (10-3, 2.65) First Pitch: 1:10 p.m. | Location: Tropicana Field, St. Petersburg, Fla. | TV: Fox Sports Sun, TBS | Radio: WDAE 620 AM, Radio Luz AM (Sp.) Game No.: 119 (59-59) | Home Game No.: 61 (31-29) | All-Time Game No.: 3,195 (1,479-1,715) | All-Time Home Game No.: 1,601 (811-789) April: 12-14 | May: 17-13 | June: 13-13 | July: 12-13 | August: 5-6 | Pre-All-Star: 47-43 | Post-All-Star: 12-16 NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT—In addition to Fox Sports Sun, today’s game will winning streak…the Rays are 8-14 thus far in a stretch of 30 games in 31 air on TBS nationwide including the Tampa Bay market with Don Orsillo days (July 21–Aug 20). and Ron Darling in the booth. RAY MATTER—The Rays are 8-15 since July 19, dropping from a season- MEDICAL MATTERS—3B Evan Longoria is day-to-day with a left thumb high 7 games over .500 (51-44) and 2 GB of first-place Boston in the AL contusion, sustained in Friday’s game…CF Kevin Kiermaier (right hip frac- East to an even .500 (59-59) and a season-high 8.0 GB…this is the 20th ture) went 0-for-4 and scored a run as the DH last night for Class-A Char- time they have been at .500 this season (excluding 0-0), first time since they lotte at Bradenton, first rehab game since July 28 with Charlotte when he were 35-35 after a June 16 loss at DET. experienced back tightness, and will DH for them again today…RH Matt Ê The Rays enter today’s series finale having gone 15-6-5 over their Andriese (right hip stress reaction) will start for Charlotte today, his first last 26 series, beginning May 12-14 at BOS. rehab appearance since suffering the injury on June 10 vs. OAK (Game 2). RAYS vs. INDIANS—The winner of today’s game will win the season series, ABOUT THE DROUGHT—The Rays have suffered 5 shutouts in their last 8 currently knotted up 3-3…the Rays are seeking their first season series win games, coinciding with the start of the homestand, including each of the last over Cleveland since 2013 (4-2)…Rays won 2 of 3 games in Cleveland, 2 games (5-0 on Friday, 3-0 last night)…this is the first time in club history May 15-17, and with 10 HR set a club record for a 3-game series (prev. 9, the Rays have suffered 5 shutouts in any 8-game span…their 8 total runs 2x-April 16-18, 2013 vs. BAL and June 10-12, 2013 at BOS)…in those 3 scored are their fewest ever in any 8-game stretch (prev. 9 runs, in overlap- games in Cleveland, the Rays scored 20 runs and hit .300/.358/.627 with 10 ping stretches of July 2-11 and July 4-13, 1998)…according to the Elias HR…in 3 games so far in this series, the Rays have scored 4 runs and hit Sports Bureau, this drought leaves the Rays in some dubious company: .185/.250/.228 (17-for-92) with 1 HR. Ê 2012 Los Angeles Dodgers (5 years ago) were the last team to Ê The Rays went 1-5 vs. the Indians in 2016…they went a combined suffer 5 shutouts in any 8-game span in a season…they were actu- 5-14 from 2014-16…Rays are 58-92 (.387) all-time, their worst mark ally scoreless in 5 of 6 games, from June 25-30, 2012…RH Nathan vs. any AL foe, and 33-42 at home. Eovaldi was the Dodgers’ luckless starting pitcher for the first and last games of that stretch…they were also the last team to score 8 AUSTIN PRUITT—Today makes his fourth start since his recall and third runs or fewer over any 8-game span in a season, as they scored 8 straight start against a 2017 AL All-Star (HOU Dallas Keuchel, BOS Chris runs from June 23-30 and went 1-7. Sale, CLE Corey Kluber)…it will be the third time over those 4 starts he Ê 1982 Minnesota Twins (35 years ago) were the last AL team to score is facing a 2017 Opening Day starter (RH Masahiro Tanaka, Keuchel, 8 runs or fewer over any 8-game span in a season…they scored 8 Kluber)…his four opponents since his recall have combined for 11 All-Star runs from May 19-26, 1982 and went 0-8. appearances, two Cy Young Awards and ten Top-10 finishes in Cy Young Ê 1978 Oakland A’s (39 years ago) were the last AL team to suffer Award voting…it will be his second straight start against a pitcher ranking 5 shutouts in any 8-game span in a season…they were shut out 5 among the majors’ top four in strikeouts (Sale, Kluber). times in 7 games, June 10-16, 1978. Ê 1955 Baltimore Orioles (62 years ago) were the last team to suffer PROPER PITCHING—The Rays lead the majors with a 2.73 ERA (99-IP, 5 shutouts in one homestand…in fact, they endured 7 shutouts in a 30-ER) in the month of August, but are 5-6 and have been outscored, 32- 13-game homestand, June 14-26, 1955, in just their second year in 22…Rays starting pitchers rank 2nd in the AL to Boston with a 4.00(1) ERA Baltimore…that team’s home run leader was 1B Gus Triandos (12); and 677 IP (Boston 3.998 ERA, 695.2 IP)…in the 8 games this homestand, no one else had more than 6 HR. Rays starters are 0-6 despite a 2.76 ERA (45.2-IP, 14-ER) and have lasted at least 6 IP in 6 of those 8 starts. ABOUT THE DROUGHT II—The Rays are 2-6 on this 9-game homestand (1-2 vs. MIL, 0-2 vs. BOS, 1-2 vs. CLE) despite pitching to a 2.88 ERA BULLISH PEN—In the month of August, the Rays bullpen is 3-0, 4-for-4 in (72-IP, 23-ER)…of their 10 SHO this season, 9 have come at home—most save opps, owns a 2.19 ERA (6th in majors) and leads the majors with a in the majors and tied for 2nd most in club history (12 in 2014)…Rays are .159 opp avg. (20-for-126)…they have totaled 37 IP, 20 H, 9 ER, 12 BB, 36 batting .175 (43-for-246) on the homestand, including .057 (2-for-35) with SO…during this series (3 games), Rays relievers have thrown 9.1 score- RISP, with both hits coming in the same game (Thu vs. CLE)…1B Logan less innings, allowing only one hit (3-BB, 12-SO)…the bullpen hasn’t al- Morrison is hitting .300 (9-for-30); everyone else is batting .155 (34-for- lowed a run over the team’s last 7 wins, totaling 20.2 IP, 9 H, 6 BB, 19 SO. 219)…6 of their 8 total runs scored on the homestand have come via home Ê RH Sergio Romo last night made his fourth straight app of 1.2 IP run: 3 solo homers and a 3-run blast by Corey Dickerson on Thursday… or longer, extending the longest streak of his career…prior to this the Rays have come to the plate 80 times in this homestand and have been stretch his last app of 5 outs or more was Aug 31, 2015 at LAD (1.2 held scoreless in 75 of those 80 opportunities. IP, with SF)…has a 3.18 ERA (11.1-IP, 4-ER) in 9 apps with 11 SO Ê The Rays have averaged 3.04 runs per game (85-R, 28-G) since the and 0 BB since joining the Rays. All-Star break, compared to 4.76 R/G before it. Ê RH Tommy Hunter has not allowed a run in 19 of his last 20 apps (since June 21), compiling a 0.44 ERA (20.1-IP, 1-ER) over that WILD INDEED—The Rays are one of A.L. EAST STANDINGS stretch to drop his season ERA from 2.75 to 1.57…5 of his last 6 apps five teams separated by 1.0 game—and have been perfect. Boston 66-50 .569 -- Ê one of six within 1.5 games—vying for New York 61-54 .530 -4.5 RH Steve Cishek has thrown 7.2 scoreless innings (1-H, 2-BB, the second AL Wild Card spot…over the Tampa Bay 59-59 .500 -8.0 9-SO) since being acquired from Seattle on July 28. last five days, five different teams have Baltimore 58-59 .496 -8.5 held a share of the second AL Wild Card Toronto 55-61 .474 -11.0 ALEX COLOMÉ—Leads the AL with 34 saves and is tied with COL Greg spot (LAA, MIN, TB, SEA, KC)…there A.L. WILD CARD STANDINGS Holland for the major league lead…he has a chance to become the first has now been a different leader (or co- Rays closer to lead the majors in saves; RH Brad Boxberger (2015) and New York 61-54 .530 +2.5 leader) for the second AL Wild Card Los Angeles 60-58 .508 -- RH Rafael Soriano (2010) both led the AL…if he earns a save today, he position for seven consecutive days… Minnesota 58-57 .504 0.5 can become the 2nd-fastest to 35 saves in Rays history behind RH Fer- the Rays still have games remaining Tampa Bay 59-59 .500 -1.0 nando Rodney (113 games in 2012)…his 71 career saves are tied with RH against five of the six teams they trail or Seattle 59-59 .500 -1.0 Danys Báez for 3rd on the Rays all-time list behind RH Roberto Hernán- are tied with in the AL East or Wild Card Kansas City 58-58 .500 -1.0 dez (101) and Rodney (85).